Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

1Pet.2:13 Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 2:14 or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well. 2:15 For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

Freedom in Christ is a meaningless phase if enslaved to men and their laws of the flesh. Are we set free in Christ? Free from judgment of all man made laws in Christ, yes! This is the point of the apostles Peter's admonishment here. If these brothers and sisters hadn't gained freedom from judgment of sin, which are the laws convicting us of sin, than this whole discussion would be pointless.

Titus 3:2 to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.

Rom.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"} 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

Did Peter imply abject submission to men over doing God's will here, no, not at all. He stated that because we have freedom from judgment of man's laws, does not mean we can willfully disobey the laws of the land giving the impression that we are a lawless people as Christian's.

On the others, Peter himself walked on water against laws of nature, he walked out jail against mankind's laws. Peter as will as us should always put God's Spirit lead direction first in our lives, which sometime conflicts with mankind's laws.

Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn't be a servant of Christ.

1 Peter 4:2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

What Peter nor any of the apostles of Christ were advocating was not abject submission to creeds of government rules, or religious rules
thinking our obedience too them would make us righteous or more pleasing to God, no! We are pleasing because of our faith that puts us into the body of Christ Jesus, having one law of freedom, but because we live in our flesh we must obey the laws of the land so that our witnesses in not a meaningless hallow hypocritical Good News.

1Cor.4:1 So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries. 4:2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful. 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I don't judge my own self. 4:4 For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord. 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

So many Christian's have taken Peter's words here and enslaved themselves by rules of Government, and/or religion compromising the Christ in pleasing men justifying it as a legal obligation, which is false. We are set free in Christ because he completed the judgment of our sinful flesh, by his righteous life, given too us freely. When we accept that gift, we are dead to judgment of sin, but we still sin; we are no longer judge by a law for sin, being in Christ.

Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.

Romans 6:11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This freedom is not an excuse to be disrespectful of any mans conscience, rather that be in government, religion, or commerce, we are ambassadors substituting for Christ respectfully obeying the laws of our land. We are not wicked proud ambassadors flaunting our immunity for gains of wickedness, we have a message of reconciliation through peace with God. However, at the same time we advocated for God's Kingdom fearlessly as its representatives first, we do not allow ourselves to become slaves of men, just because they hold legal power over us, nor do we rebel against their authority because, we have freedom in Christ from their judgments.

Romans 6:13 Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

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